The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was established by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by combining five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs): The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)
The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC); The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC)
The Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL).

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was established by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by combining five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs): The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)
The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC); The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC)
The Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL).

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was established by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by combining five Caribbean Regional Health Institutes (RHIs): The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)
The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC); The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC)
The Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL).

The Evaluation of the Port-of-Spain Declaration

Project Overview

Objective 1

Objective 2

Objective 3

Objective 4

The POSDEVAL Project

POSDEVAL {Port of Spain Declaration Evaluation} is the short monicker we have given this very extensive project aimed towards helping the region refine its approaches to reducing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

In September 2007 the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) convened a summit in acknowledgement of the threat NCDs posed to to health and to social and economic development of the Caribbean. This summit concluded with the signing of the Port of Spain Declaration - a plan of action for reducing NCDs and their impact in the region.

After this Declaration, and partly inspired by it, the United Nations General Assembly convened in 2011 a High Level Meeting on NCDs (UNHLM).

This project aims to evaluate, seven years on, the implementation of the Port of Spain Declaration in order to learn lessons that will support and accelerate its further implementation throughtout the region. It is being conduction on behalf of CARICOM through a Canadian grant from the International Development Research Centre.

The project is being lead by Prof. Nigel Unwin and Dr. Alafia Samuels of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Project collaboring centres include, CARICOM, Public Health Group @ UWI Cave Hill, Health Economic Unit and The Intitute of International Relations @ UWI St. Augstine, Department of Community Health and Psychiatry @ UWI Mona, G8 Group @ University of Toronto, Caribean Public Health Agency, and Health Caribbean Coalition.

To determine the extent to which the 27 commitments in the Port of Spain Declaration are reported to have been implemented and the national and other characteristics associated with high levels of implementation within the 20 CARICOM countries and territories.

Method:

This will be carried out through review of the annual progress reports submitted by the NCD focal point within the Ministry of Health of each of the 20 Countries. This will be triangulated against a review of relevant national level policy documents.

CARPHA Team

Team Leader: Dr. James Hospedales - Executive Director, CARPHA

Mrs. Renee Franklin-Peroune - Senior Project Officer

Dr Glennis Andall-Brereton - Epidemiologist & Acting Head of NCDs and Life Course

University of Toronto Team

Team Leader: Dr. John Kirton - Director of the G8 Research Group, U of T

Ms. Madeline Koch - Managing Director

Dr. Caroline Bracht - Senior Researcher

Dr. Julia Kulik - Senior Researcher

Undertaking in-depth case studies within 7 countries and territories in order to determine:

a. The agreement between reported implementation of the 27 commitments and substantive change (effective implementation)

b. The degree of use of multi-sectoral approaches including the engagement of civil society, the private sector and Government ministries and agencies in addition to Health

c .Factors associated with success and those associated with difficulties in achieving (a) and (b), including the political impact nationally

d. What evidence exists on the impact of the implementation on risk factors and health outcomes.

Method:

Case studies will be developed for 7 CARICOM countries and territories, which will be purposively sampled to demonstrate a range of NCD response in the region. The data collection for each case study will include between 10 and 20 key informant interviews. Key informants will include: representatives of the government ministries, civil society organizations, and representatives of relevant private sector organizations.

UWI Cave Hill Team

Team Leader: Prof. Nigel Unwin - Principal Investigator

Chair of Population Health SciencesChronic Disease Research Centre, TMRI,

The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados

CARPHA coordinates responses to public health crisis in the Caribbean by

Undertaking in-depth case studies within 7 countries and territories in order to determine:

a. The agreement between reported implementation of the 27 commitments and substantive change (effective implementation)

b. The degree of use of multi-sectoral approaches including the engagement of civil society, the private sector and Government ministries and agencies in addition to Health

c .Factors associated with success and those associated with difficulties in achieving (a) and (b), including the political impact nationally

d. What evidence exists on the impact of the implementation on risk factors and health outcomes.

Method:

Case studies will be developed for 7 CARICOM countries and territories, which will be purposively sampled to demonstrate a range of NCD response in the region. The data collection for each case study will include between 10 and 20 key informant interviews. Key informants will include: representatives of the government ministries, civil society organizations, and representatives of relevant private sector organizations.

UWI Cave Hill Team

Team Leader: Prof. Nigel Unwin - Principal Investigator

Chair of Population Health SciencesChronic Disease Research Centre, TMRI,